Oprah receives honorary Oscar at Governors Awards ceremony

Oprah Winfrey received the Academy of Motion Picture's Arts & Science's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which is an honorary Oscar award given out periodically for philanthropic efforts. She was one of three honored at the Governors Awards last night.

"I never imagined receiving an Oscar, especially for doing what is a part of my calling, part of my being," Winfrey revealed upon receiving her award.

The evening was particularly emotional for Winfrey. Before she was presented with her award, a Barnard College student was called to the stage by Maria Shriver, one of Winfrey's former colleagues. The student, Ayanna Hall, is a beneficiary of Oprah's college scholarship program and gave a touching speech that evoked tears in Winfrey's eyes.

When Winfrey went up on stage, she gave an ad hoc speech in which she paid tribute to the summer 2011 movie The Help. The talk show host was able to draw connections between the plot of the movie and her own moving life journey.

"When I saw The Help, that is my story. My grandmother was a maid, her mother was a maid, her mother before her was a slave. My mother was a maid. My grandmother's greatest dream for me was that I would grow up in a family and have a career," Oprah delivered to her audience, which included cast members of The Help.

Others honored include actor James Earl Jones and make-up artist Dick Smith. The two were given tribute by various celebrities and friends, including Academy President Thomas Sherak, who dressed as Darth Vader for the ceremony in honor of Jones' memorable voice contributions to his Star Wars role.